Invitation to a Voyage - Piano/Soprano Duet at Millburn Library

Come join us at the Millburn Free Public Library for "Invitation to a Voyage" on Sunday, May 5, 2019 at 3:00pm, presented by local pianist Maki Yoneta and soprano singer Manami Hattori. This classical music performance features songs traveling from New York to Europe.

After gaining her Bachelor in Music in Tokyo, Maki Yoneta moved to the UK and studied in London at Royal College of music (Advanced Diploma in Piano Solo/Ensemble) and at Guildhall School Music & Drama (Master's in Music Performance in piano accompaniment and Diploma in Opera repetiteur) with scholarships. She won many competitions including the Hatfield International Music Festival as a solo pianist in 1999. She played Grieg’s piano concerto with the Hatfield Symphony Orchestra and the observer described her as a raising star. In 2003, she won the Birmingham International Piano Accompaniment Competition, which is the only competition for the accompanists in Europe. She played Rhian Samuel’s “Three songs for voice, flute and piano” as a world premiere in her winner’s concert. She also won the Nuremberg International Lied Completion in Germany in 2006. She received Leonard Hancock prize for the best young repetiteur (opera pianist) in 2006. Maki appeared many main concert halls like Wigmore Hall, St. Martin-In-The-Fields,St James Piccadilly etc. in the UK, Europe and Japan to perform as both soloist and accompanist. She performed for the First Minister of Scotland in the Bute House in Edinburgh in 2005. She was also invited to perform for the 100th year celebration of the friendship between Japan and Italy in 2006. She worked as a staff accompanist / coach for both instrumentalists and singers and piano teacher at Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama, their junior departments and several main summer schools in the UK for over 15 years. She also worked for many operas not only in the UK also in Europe including Music festivals in Poitiers France, Ponte de Lima and Aveiro Portugal. She was highly evaluated when she worked for Debussy’s opera “Pelléas et Méllisande “ as she partly arranged from the orchestra part to two pianos and performed through Scotland. She moved to New York City in 2011 then moved to Millburn 2 years ago. Currently she is working as a music teacher at the New Jersey Japanese School both elementary & middle schools and continues her Rhythmic classes in NYC. She also teaches as a private piano teacher in both NYC and NJ.

Soprano Manami Hattori has recently sung several leading roles in the US and Canada, including the title role in Madama Butterfly with Mercury Opera. She repeated the same role with Opera Lancaster, and the Intelligencer Journal said “Manami Hattori-Fallen is the quintessential Butterfly”. Other recent performances include Nedda in Pagliacci with Utopia opera, Sour Angelica in Sour Angelica, Micaela in Carmen, and Musetta in La Boheme with DiCapo Opera Theater. She also sang Musetta with National Lyric Opera in MA.

This program is free and open to all and is recommended to adults and families. It is sponsored by the Friends of the Millburn Library. The Millburn Library is located at 200 Glen Ave., Millburn, NJ 07041 and can be reached at 973-376-1006.